Some Piano input, please

[Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich]

Hi everybody,

I'm basically listening to big orchestral tunes, some choir and voice stuff, but never: Piano music. I wanted to give the piano a chance and I thought, Chopin would be a good idea. So I started with his Nocturnes (w. François Chaplin). What I can say is, now since a couple of days I'm permanently listening to #13 Op. 48-1, #1 Op. 9-1 and #20 op. post.

I probably like the darker side of the piano. I like it if the sound of a recording is a more dark one, how can I say, like AM radio...

I really have no clue: What are the big tunes in the piano world - the "must have listened to once in your life"?

Thank you
Michael

[jochanaan]

Michael, you'll want to check out the Beethoven piano sonatas very soon if not immediately. There are lots of good sets out there, and lots of individual recordings.  The middle-period sonatas such as the Waldstein and the Appassionata might be the most accessible; the earlier ones except for the Pathetique sound rather like Mozart or Haydn (you might like them too, but they're not nearly as dark), and the late ones can be formidable listening.   I tend to prefer pianists that aren't the most immediately obvious for Beethoven: Rudolf Serkin, Alfred Brendel, and Daniel Barenboim have made fine Beethoven recordings.

A few other composers who have written great solo piano music are Schubert, Schumann, Liszt, Scriabin, Debussy (lots of listeners swear by the Debussy Preludes), Rachmaninoff, Prokofieff, and Shostakovich.  If you're up for a modernistic challenge, try Conlon Nancarrow's music for player piano and Gyorgy Ligeti's solo piano pieces.

[escher]

I probably like the darker side of the piano.

i don't know too much about the instrument but i think you could appreciate this one by liszt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8a5z-rW9Lk

[George]

I really have no clue: What are the big tunes in the piano world - the "must have listened to once in your life"?

Thank you
Michael

Beethoven - Piano Sonatas, Piano Concertos
Rachmaninoff - Preludes and Piano Concertos 2 and 3
Schubert - Piano Sonatas and Impromptus
Chopin - Preludes, Ballades, Etudes
Brahms - Late Works, Ballades, 2 Piano Concertos
Scriabin - Piano Sonatas
Satie - Gymnopedies, Gnosssienes
Debussy - Preludes

[Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8a5z-rW9Lk

Well, you probably have to be in a specific, (pre suicide )  mood in order to enjoy this. Interesting, still. But it seems like I'm searcing for something more "organic", more melody and beauty 

I think I'll go for Beethoven Piano Sonatas next. I listened to this Waldstein: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc1avkJSADo - well, I must say the music sounds like it's been written for an advert ...

[snyprrr]

Faure Nocturnes

[mc ukrneal]

Well, you probably have to be in a specific, (pre suicide )  mood in order to enjoy this. Interesting, still. But it seems like I'm searcing for something more "organic", more melody and beauty 

I think I'll go for Beethoven Piano Sonatas next. I listened to this Waldstein: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc1avkJSADo - well, I must say the music sounds like it's been written for an advert ...

Based on what you write above, there are many possibilities. I might recommend a site where you can listen to all sorts of free stuff (need real player). My first recomendation will link there (though the piece I link to is from 2007, you can listen to the festival's perfromances from many years). It is a great resource:

Schumann: Kinderszenen (link: http://www.rsi.ch/argerich/welcome.cfm?lng=1&ids=489&idc=18528 -second to last piece in the list; or Argerich on DG if you like it, though it is possible this appears on the compilation disc from the festival from that year, if it is still available)
Schubert: Improptus (Brendel)
Gershwin: Piano Rolls (you may be familiar with these, but they are fun and tuneful)
Rachmaninov: A Window in Time (for broad selection) or Etudes-Tableau (Shelley)
Chopin: Mazurkas and Waltzes (Rubinstein, but lots of good ones)
Grieg: Lyric Pieces (Gilels)
Beethoven: Sonatas already mentioned - they are wonderful, but keep in mind there are variations and other pieces as well
Debussy: Various Piano pieces (Koscis)
Grainger: Piano Music (Hamelin)

Liszt, in my opinion, is not the best place to start, though he has a ton of great stuff. But if you want to give him a try, I would start with some transcriptions since you may be familiar with some of the pieces (for example Cziffra or Wild playing his transcriptions are excellent). Grainger also did a bunch of transcriptions and a nice disc for that could be on Hyperion with Piers Lane, called Rambles and Reflections).

[Dax]

For the darker side of the piano, I recommend you try Busoni's Elegies downloadable at http://squirrelnyc.wordpress.com/tag/busoni/

The pianist Martin Jones also does the bright and jolly side of Grainger more efficiently than Hamelin IMHO.

[mc ukrneal]

For the darker side of the piano, I recommend you try Busoni's Elegies downloadable at http://squirrelnyc.wordpress.com/tag/busoni/

The pianist Martin Jones also does the bright and jolly side of Grainger more efficiently than Hamelin IMHO.

Both are great - but the Jones is a 5 disc set as opposed to the 'sampler' from Hamelin. In any case, you can't go wrong with Jones here either (and I see the price is pretty reasonable - so a great value).

[Dancing Divertimentian]

There's an ongoing thread on this on the beginner's board. Pretty useful stuff.

[Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich]

Oh thanks for your input people and the reference to another thread. I started with Beethoven. Now I'm stuck with Sonata #17/Allegro and I cannot get past it, I love it's melody.

[mc ukrneal]

Oh thanks for your input people and the reference to another thread. I started with Beethoven. Now I'm stuck with Sonata #17/Allegro and I cannot get past it, I love it's melody.

Just take your time and enjoy it...

[Papy Oli]

There's an ongoing thread on this on the beginner's board. Pretty useful stuff.

nearly one year to the day the thread was started.....lots of piano listening since then 

Oh thanks for your input people and the reference to another thread. I started with Beethoven. Now I'm stuck with Sonata #17/Allegro and I cannot get past it, I love it's melody.

Like Ukrneal said, enjoy the journey